Freedom

Come to the bible and you will meet a God who will set you free!

I was open at Psalm 139.

Light Box Love continued...

So I continued with my challenge today.
This week I am on mid-semester break (only for this week).
I challenged myself to make something with my light box everyday - however to be more realistic I've decided to change it to three scenes.
Here are some from today:

I put this verse to them, because I just enjoy doing that:

Matthew 5:14

New Living Translation (NLT)

14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

And I found this quote which I LOVE as well:

“There is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.”

—	Vincent van Gogh

I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I did making them.

Grace and Peace to you all!

A Wonderful God!

Today I got a wonderfully encouraging message from a friend.

It said: 'Zephaniah 3:17 - The Lord your God is with you, that mighty warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his live he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.'
Then he said: "What a day that will be when the Lord rejoices over us with singing!

I am in full agreement of this message!
How wonderful it will be to finally see God. Wonderfully scary!

(As you can see I am enjoying the word Wonderful right now!)

 SIMPLY TO YOUR CROSS I CLING!

God is Wonderful!

That's all I have to say.

Blessings!

Hard Conversations

I had some hard conversations in a car ride home with my Aunt and my Sister tonight.
Questions about how the bible was constructed and how do we know for sure that no one has changed it.
It is hard to converse with people who don't see God as all powerful. Believing human intervention to be of greater possibility than Gods.
Its hard to explain that God is in control when people don't believe in his control.

However I got to talk about how the bible is the story of how God created the world, Humans ruined it and then how God acted to bring us back into a relationship with him.

Hopefully (as a lovely friend of mine said) I have planted some small seeds.

I will now go about collecting some more knowledge of how my God has put together his words through his people on earth so I may be better equipped to tackle questions like this in future.

Grace and Peace to you and remember:

1 Peter 3:15

New Living Translation (NLT)

15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20peter%203:15&version=NLT

Words from Elihu!

I know I usually write about Isaiah but tonight:


JOB 36: 22-33 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%2036&version=NLT)

Elihu Reminds Job of God’s Power

22 “Look, God is all-powerful.
    Who is a teacher like him?
23 No one can tell him what to do,
    or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’
24 Instead, glorify his mighty works,
    singing songs of praise.
25 Everyone has seen these things,
    though only from a distance.

26 “Look, God is greater than we can understand.
    His years cannot be counted.
27 He draws up the water vapor
    and then distills it into rain.
28 The rain pours down from the clouds,
    and everyone benefits.
29 Who can understand the spreading of the clouds
    and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven?
30 See how he spreads the lightning around him
    and how it lights up the depths of the sea.
31 By these mighty acts he nourishes the people,
    giving them food in abundance.
32 He fills his hands with lightning bolts
    and hurls each at its target.
33 The thunder announces his presence;
    the storm announces his indignant anger.

Being a Woman of God?

Here's a question...

What does it mean to be a Woman of God?

  I've been seeking the answer to for many months now. I asked many older women but I didn't get any good answers out of them. None of them seemed to know or none of their answers were what I was seeking.

Living in a world that screams BODY IMAGE IS EVERYTHING and BEING SINGLE IS BAD can be a challenging thing. Especially since I don't regard body image as something high on my list (I look like what I look like). Also I have never been in a relationship and its also not high on my 'bucket' list.

The thing I want in this world is to serve God with my EVERYTHING! Literally! That's all I've even wanted. However it gets hard when you're constantly slandered with societal expectations and pressures. They even seep into the church.

Anyway my point is... that the true beauty of a Woman is in her works for God. Her good deeds.
That's what it means to be a woman of God! To do good works for the Kingdom, not to get Salvation but as a response to Salvation. This is something I learned at my Church Conference last Sunday and I had to share it.

I do works for God because I am grateful for his Sacrifice. I will strive to throw off what the world says about who I should be and run toward God. I am and will continue to learn what it means to follow God as a Woman. I will continue to do good works for his Kingdom for the rest of my life. No matter how long or short it may be.




Colossians 1:15-20 (from: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%201&version=NLT)

Christ Is Supreme

15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
    He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything
    in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
    and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
    Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
    and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church,
    which is his body.
He is the beginning,
    supreme over all who rise from the dead.
    So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullness
    was pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled
    everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
    by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

 Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.

—	Brennan Manning (from: http://iaskgod.tumblr.com/post/58312454336/define-yourself-radically-as-one-beloved-by-god)

Isaiah Chapter Three

So after another day of feeling sick, sleeping, catching up on online lectures, dropping a unit of study and baking chocolate cookies... its finally time for me to sit down with my bible.
The headings consist of - 'Judgement against Judah' and 'A warning for Jerusalem's Women'
I'm guessing that the Judgement outlined in Chapter Two is being extended here in chapter 3.

Judgement against Judah
The first paragraph I find here (3 verses 1 - 5) seems to be a changing of order. GOD ACTS - he gets rid of the food and water supplies - two vital things for human life! Then he destroys the leaders of the nations - people who are often looked up to and trusted to keep the peace and provide safety for the citizens. Then God appoints children. Here's something fundamental about children compared to adults. A lack of knowledge and life skills. I'm not sure if it means God will appoint actual physical children or if he is appointing people who act like children. People who are not equipped to lead a nation, people who don't have the skills or knowledge of what it means to lead a nation. (verse 4 - 'anarchy will prevail)
In verse five it seems that no one will respect each other, everyone will be out for their own interests and there will be no order. Almost like the survival of the fittest. Seems a bit like how we live today don't you think?
I like verses 6 and 7. The fact that someone who has a cloak is asked to rule is amusing to me. I'm guessing that the idea of a cloak is big for this prophecy. It kind of shows how people will have nothing, everything is in "ruins" so asking someone who has a cloak to rule is interesting. I'm guessing that in this scene being able to keep a cloak means you are a thoughtful person, who is able to conserve things that are needed - cloaks for warmth etc... they think ahead. Compared to the "childish" leaders someone with a cloak must look admirable and capable. The only problems is that this person only has one cloak, they have only cared for them self; they are lacking the capacity to help or look after anyone else. How can a person lead a nation if all they have is a cloak on there back?
Verses 8 and 9 form another little paragraph for me. The theme of this is the open sin and unashamed way that the people are acting against God. Their cities are in ruins and their relationships are in ruins and they openly defy God. They bring about their own destruction!
10 and 11 - contrast what life will be like for those who follow the Lord compared to those who won't. Those who follow God and are Godly will receive a reward. Imagine being rewarded by the biggest God! The most powerful being in the Universe! However those who don't follow the Lord and don't seek to be Godly in this passage will be punished.
Verse 12 - It kind of stands out on its own and links back into the beginning of the section. The leaders of the nation - women and children. The bible is very clear on the roles of Men, Women and Children. In this time Men were the one who were educated so I can understand why it says that women shouldn't rule here. How can someone who is uneducated rule and lead a people to prosperity. It was a very different time to what we experience now (however I will leave my opinions on Women's roles in this time to another post). I enjoy the image of a pretty garden path here. The contrast between the pretty and the destruction that awaits. What looks pleasing now and what looks like a good idea doesn't always end up being so. This is one of those times.
Verses 13 - 15 -> A scene involving the Lord. A court room scene, a place of judgement and trial. The order of Judgement is set - the leaders of the people. The leaders who are supposed to lead the people in the ways of the Lord. A people set apart to follow God especially. These leaders have taken advantage and led the people astray. They have not followed the Lord and it seems only right and just that they be judged first.

A Warning for Jerusalem's Women
Its interesting here the way that the women are judged next. Their actions show their priorities surely! They view themselves as first and most important. Their appearance is what is most important and gaining the affections of men is part of that. The plague of scabs and baldness is interesting. It changes their physical appearance to something unpleasant. God takes away all their jewels and fine clothing and perfumes. They will smell, wear ropes and their hair will fall out. Sackcloth is mentioned as the new dress. Sackcloth was warn in times of mourning and grief. Only fitting here. I wonder if they will be grieving not only their lost beauty but their choices to turn from the Lord. Only shame will be left to them (verse 24).
Lastly it says that the men will die in battle, the city will be in mourning and weak.

A reflection: Having never looked at these passages before I find myself linking the scenes to today's world. Our leaders (in Australia particularly) spend a great deal of time bickering like children, looking out for their self interests. And the actions of people are selfish. We however don't live in such a desperate time as this prophecy of Jerusalem shows. However I am struck with the depiction of the dress and attitudes of the women of Jerusalem. I can see this as a priority of the women in today age. Being a 20 year old woman myself I do fall prey to this sort of thought. Beauty and appearance are very important to women these days and is often the first thing we are judged on. And not just by men but other women. This passage is a good reminder to me to follow the ways of the Lord and not worship clothing and make-up. Not to want the eyes of men to fall on me for my body but to fall on me for my heart for the Lord.

To strive for the Lord is my goal and this passage is a good reminder of what will happen if I don't.

In God I trust!